Tooth paste container having means to position it in a cavity in the handle of a dispensing toothbrush



an. 29, 15%? F. .J. SIPMANN ,5

TOOTH PASTE CONTAINER HAVING MEANS T0 POSITION IT IN A CAVITY IN THE HANDLE OF A DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH FiledDec. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR PEA/V6 5 (J S/QMA/V/V,

ylf'kz'maagpmm Um ATTORNEYS 1957 F. J. SIPMANN 2,779,505

TOOTH PASTE CONTAINER HAVING MEANS TO POSITION IT IN A CAVITY IN THE HANDLE OF A DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH Filed Dec. 3, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M M 2/ fz4a F/G. 4.

M 42 45 INVENTOR FEfl/VCVS S/IOM4/V/V,

BY WFWW wflmbzfamz ATTORNEYS United States Patent TOOTH PASTE CONTAINER HAVING MEANS TO POSITION IT IN A CAVITY IN THE HANDLE OF A DISPENSING TOOTHBRUSH This invention relates to improvements in toothbrushes, and more particularly to a toothbrush provided with means for receiving a collapsible dispensing container containing tooth paste material and being arranged to feed the tooth paste material to the bristle portions of the brush.

The main object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved fountain toothbrush which is simple in construction, which is easy to assemble and disassemble, and which is easy to maintain in a sanitary condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved fountain toothbrush having means to receive and support a collapsible tube of toothpaste material and to feed the tooth paste from the tube to the head portion of the tooth brush, the improved toothbrush being inexpensive to manufacture, being compact in size, being neat in appearance, and being durable in construction.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of an improved fountain toothbrush constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the components of the toothbrush of Figure 1, shown in separated positions.

Figure 3 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross sectional detail view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure l.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom view of the head portion of the toothbrush of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 66 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a transverse vertical cross sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the improved fountain toothbrush is designated generally at 11 and comprises a main body 12 formed with the head portion 13 and with the hollow handle portion 14. The hollow handle portion 14 is formed with a cavity 15 and has the removable cover 16, said cover having a cavity 17 which mates with the cavity 15 to receive a collapsible tube 18 of tooth paste material, the cooperating cavities 15 and 17 being shaped to snugly receive the tube 18, as will be readily apparent from Figure 2. The cavities 15 and 17 are formed at their forward end portions with mating grooves 19 and 21) located in a common transverse plane and being shaped to receive a rectangular rigid positioning flange 21 rigidly secured on the rigid forward end portion 22 of the paste tube 18.

As is clearly shown in Figure 2, the rigid end portion 22 is of rectangular transverse cross section and tape-rs in size toward its forward end, said rigid end portion having a flat rectangular internal bore defining a conduit through which paste material from the tube 18 may be I atented Jan. 29, 1957 discharged from the forward end of the tapered rigid element 22. As shown in Figure 2, the forward portions of the cavities 15 and 17 are tapered in cross section toward their forward ends to conform with the shape of the rigid conduit element 22 on the forward end of the tube 18 so as to snugly receive said rigid conduit element, and to also receive the flange 21 so as to securely position the forward end of the dis pensing tube 18 in the forward end portion of the resultant cavity defined by the cavity elements 15 and 17 when the cover 16 is secured on the hollow handle 14 in closed position.

The forward end of the cover 16 is provided with the locking projection 23 which is engageable in a suitable recess provided in the transverse shoulder portion 24 on the main body 12 between the head portion 13 and handle portion 14 thereof, as shown in Figure 2, said shoulder portion being adapted to receive the transverse end surface 25 of the cover 16 thereagainst. The handle portion 14 is formed at its rear end with the recess 26 adapted to lockingly receive a square lug 27 projecting from the plane bottom surface 28 of the cover 16, said recess 26 being shaped to snugly receive the projection 27. Respective registratable apertures 29 and 30 are provided on the respective end flanges 31 and 32 of the handle portion 14 and the cover 16, whereby a resultant aperture is defined by means of which the assembled toothbrush may be suspended on a suitable hook or similar supporting element.

The cover 16 may be engaged on the handle 14 by first inserting the lug 27 in the recess 26 and then forcing the cover 16 against the handle, whereby the projection 23 snaps into its recess, since the elements are flexible enough to allow them to be thus interengaged.

The handle 14 is formed at its side margin with a longitudinal notch 33 having a top edge element 34 which is spaced a short distance below the plane of the top surface 34 of the handle member for a purpose presently to be described. The cover member 16 is similarly formed with a notch 35 at its side edge which is registrable with the notch 33.

Designated at 36 is a dispensing key which is secured transversely to the end portion of the tube 18, said key being provided with the circular head 37. When the tube 18 is disposed in the cavity 15 of handle 14, the shank of the key 36 extends transversely over the edge 34 of notch 33 and the end of the key is received in a longitudinal recess 38 provided in the wall of the handle 14 opposite the notch 33. The recess 38 and the top edge 34 define bearings for the opposite end portions of the transversely extending key 36, enabling said key to be rotated and to be moved longitudinally forwardly as the rear portion of the tube 18 is rolled up on the key.

As shown in Figure l, the circular head 37 is disposed in the space defined by the registering notches 35 and 33 and is thus retained closely adjacent to the resultant hollow body defined by the handle 14 and the cover 16 thereof when said cover is in closed position, as shown.

The head 13 is formed with the longitudinal passage 40 which is located so as to communicate with the outlet of the conduit element 22 of the collapsible tube 18, said passage 40 also communicating with a discharge opening 41 located at the intermediate portion of the group of bristle tufts 42 provided on the head of the toothbrush. As shown in Figure 5, the intermediate group of bristles may be circularly arranged, as illustrated at 43, and are arranged around the opening 41, whereby tooth paste material discharged by squeezing the tube 18 will flow outwardly through the opening 41 and onto the circularly arranged bristles 43, and will flow thence onto the remaining bristle tufts 42 as the toothbrush is used.

As will be readily understood, when the head 37 is rotated, squeezing pressure is developed in the end portion ofthe tube 18, causing the tooth paste to be extruded from the rigid forward conduit 22 and through the passage 40. The tooth paste is discharged from the opening 41 onto the circularly arranged group of bristles 43. It will be readily understood that when a tube 18 is emptied, the cover 16 may be opened, and the depleted tube may be readily removed, a new tube 13 being inserted in place thereof, the flange 21 of the new tube being engaged with the recesses 19 and 20 so that the tube will be securely positioned in thehandle ortion of the toothbrush, so that the rigid conduit element 22 at the forward end of the tube will be in accurate communication with the passage 40.

While a specific embodiment of an improved fountain toothbrush has been disclosed in the foregoing dcscription, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placedon the invention except as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A disposable container for paste material compris ing a tube of material of plastic quality, a forwardly tapering rigid discharge conduit element of rectangular transverse cross section secured to the forward end of said tube, and a rectangular positioning flange rigidly secured to and projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said conduit element.

2. A disposable container for paste material comprising a tube of material of plastic quality, a forwardly tapering rigid discharge conduit element of rectangular transverse cross section formed with a relatively flat internal bore of substantially rectangular transverse cross section, means securing said rigid discharge conduit element to the forward end of said tube, and a rectangular positioning flange rigidly secured to and projecting outwardly from opposite sides of said conduit element.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,311 Simmons Sept. 12, 1933 1,959,126 De Luca May 15, 1934 2,199,922 McManis et al. May 7, 1940 2,583,631 Chehak Jan. 29, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 3,543 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1914 84,796 Sweden Nov. 5, 1935 

